Cowley Abbott bridges the gap
between traditional art auction services and the online fine art
marketplace. Our experienced specialists strive to form relationships with
clients built on professionalism, transparency and trust. We believe that art collecting
should be approachable, educational and rewarding for both new and seasoned
collectors. We invite you to become acquainted with our specialists in our new
blog series and learn more about Cowley Abbott’s prominent place in the
Canadian art industry.
Katlin Rogers,
Canadian Art Specialist
Did you know Canadian
Art Specialist, Katlin Rogers is also a qualified personal property appraiser?
Specializing in Historical and Post War Canadian Art, Katlin has been a Member
of the International Society of Appraisers since 2018. Receiving Chapter Impact
Awards from the Canadian Chapter of ISA and practicing hundreds of hours of
appraisal work, Katlin can assist you with your formal appraisal needs!
As a member of
the International Society of Appraisers, Katlin, you are part of a leading professional personal property appraisal
association, which allows you to perform a myriad of fine art appraisals
as a specialist at Cowley Abbott. Can you tell us more about the appraisal
services offered at the firm and your role as an
ISA qualified appraiser?
Many of our clients
have practical issues of insurance and estate concerns when it comes to their art
collection. Receiving top training with the International Society of Appraisers
sharpened my skill set to provide our clients with bespoke appraisal services.
I have been fortunate to be able to work with clients who have built
exceptional collections of blue chip Canadian art, including works
by Jack Bush, Jean McEwen, Jean Paul Riopelle, David Milne, A.Y. Jackson, Maud
Lewis and William Kurelek, among many others. Many of these artworks have not
been traded on the open market and it is a pleasure to be able to handle these collections,
connect with clients and discuss current market conditions.
The Sotheby’s Institute of Art London in the United Kingdom is where you received your Master’s in Art Business. Can you tell us about what your studies were focused on and how that experience informed your decision to work in the auction industry?
Studying in a global
art center was certainly an important experience. The Sotheby’s program in
London was open to a global view, however, I tailored my studies towards the
Canadian marketplace, taking a deep dive into the public and private sectors of
our regional art market. For my Master’s Thesis, I took a very focused look on
how the world perceives regional markets and examined the Canadian art market
from qualitative and quantitative perspectives. Researching the auction market
between 1967- 2015 provided invaluable insight into previous and current trends
in the market and auction business strategies. This research allowed me to hit
the ground running when I returned to Canada and began working in the auction
industry. Ever since it has been a pleasure linking undergraduate art history
and theory studies, and post-grad art business studies, with real world
experience handling incredible artworks.
Katlin Rogers can be reached
directly by e-mail at katlin@cowleyabbott.ca.
Stay tuned for the next installment of “Introducing the Cowley Abbott Team” in
a week!
Navigating the art market can be both an exciting and a
daunting task for new buyers, experienced collectors and art market
professionals. With a plethora of commercial galleries, online purchase
platforms and auctions seemingly running 24/7, the buying options are
limitless. At Cowley Abbott, we prioritize exceptional customer service and
take pride in assisting our clients find the perfect artwork to either add to
or begin their collection. In this article we will look at some key factors to
consider when looking to start, build or mature your art collection, as well as
the benefits of buying at auction.
Christopher Pratt, Girl on my Couch (1984)
Where to Start?
Of course, one’s aesthetic taste is an obvious starting
point. When a client inquires about what artist, time period or style of art they
should collect, we encourage first to scan galleries, auctions and online
resources to pinpoint what naturally appeals. Once there is a clear idea of an
overall genre, style or even a particular artist that a collector wants to
focus on, this establishes a solid foundation to build upon. Investment and
future value are the next factors to consider. Although collecting art is an
emotional and subjective process for collectors, the financial aspect of
collecting is a natural and valid query. Invariably, the next question asked
is, which artist or artwork will hold value over time. There is no crystal ball to consult to ensure
that an artist or artwork will maintain its economic value, just as there is no
guarantee that one’s financial investments will hold steady without change.
However, auction, by virtue of its transparency, establishes a sense of
confidence. Estimates and hammer prices reflect the realistic expectations of
the secondary market for an artwork and artist, no matter a collector’s budget.
Jean Paul Riopelle, Feuilles VI (1967)
New collectors often seek an understanding of the art market before committing to their first purchase. This strategy takes into account a collector’s taste and shifting art market trends. Bearing this in mind, works on paper by major artists who trade at auction are an excellent buying option for new collectors. Typically, works on paper, such as drawings, watercolours and prints, offer a lower financial entry point and are an excellent example of the artist’s production, while allowing the collector to inform their aesthetic taste. Canadian artists, such as Jack Bush and Christopher Pratt, produced works on paper in tandem with their painting, developing fascinating and sometimes unique, experimental testimonials to their overall practice. “Sash”, “Totem” and “Thrust”, prints by Jack Bush, offer bright renderings closely linked to both his works in gouache and his large canvases. Similarly, Pratt’s graphite drawings of nude models and interiors are often the basis for both his coveted print works and paintings, functioning as intentional works of their own. Works on paper offer an incredible opportunity to understand the technical process of an artist. Notes on colour, shading, location and even the time of day can be conveyed, providing a unique insight into completed works by the artist.
As a new collector, the benefit to both monitoring and
participating in auctions is accessibility to the wide variety of works
included in these auctions, either online or live. A collector can study the
online auction catalogues, view multiple images of the works included, request
condition reports on specific artworks and compare artworks to navigate their
own interests and taste. At Cowley Abbott, we offer dedicated sales of
Works on Paper, taking place in February and July, offering an exceptional
opportunity to begin collecting or build upon an established collection.
I know what I like, how do I navigate value?
Jack Bush, Purple Thrust
Researching and learning more about major art movements,
artist collectives, groups and periods all contribute to a more well-rounded
understanding of the cultural value of artworks. This aids in further
distilling a collector’s taste; perhaps gravitating to one artist of a major
group over another and establishing a more finite point to begin collecting.
Navigating the estimates applied to artworks is an integral component to collecting. When auction houses ascribe estimates to artworks, the value is based upon past results for an artist at auction. Our specialists research comparable works by the artist, taking into account various attributes, such as medium, dimensions, style, overall quality and period for the artist. Hammer prices and auction estimates for these comparable pieces are taken into consideration in order to provide realistic expectations for artworks offered at auction. This recognized practice of valuation establishes greater transparency for new collectors navigating the auction market.
The Basics of Understanding Value
ArtTactic professionals have broken down the stages of an artist’s trajectory in order to measure the relationship between the cultural and economic value of their work within the art market. The following factors are considered when offering an artwork at auction, allowing further insight into how and why specific artwork by an artist may achieve a higher value.
Formation Phase
Art School
Grad Show
Local collector interest / exhibiting with smaller or younger galleries
Art Fair showing
Curator interest
International interest (though less so with Canadian art given the regional market)
Reputable Artist Prizes
Expansion Phase
Move to representation with established gallery / solo exhibition
Acquisitions by major collectors
International solo exhibition
AUCTION DEBUT—works selling above expectation
Consolidation Phase
Strong and Consistent auction market activity
Consistent commercial and museum exhibition activity
Further factors to consider include condition, quality, characteristics of the artwork, the provenance and, to an extent, rarity. Though rarity can aid in increasing the value of an artwork — for instance if the work is a sketch or panel for an important work by the artist — it can also have an adverse effect (ex. an artwork depicting a floral still life by an artist who is celebrated for their work in abstraction). For new collectors, it is an important component to be mindful of, as rarity can equate to a smaller pool of collector interest should one seek to sell in the future to mature a collection or should aesthetic tastes change.
These factors are guidelines to understanding established
value, how specialists arrive at estimates, and driving forces for market
trends. If there is a strong emotional draw to an artwork, collectors should
trust their instincts and collect works that they will enjoy and that will
enrich their collections.
How can Cowley Abbott assist?
Our monthly online auctions are an opportunity for a collector to ‘check’ the pulse of the market and dabble in their own collection journey. Interested collectors are invited to monitor the progress of our auctions and the performance of a specific artwork with no obligation to bid or participate. Our easy to navigate website offers a comfortable and convenient environment to participate should a collector wish, while our team of specialists are available to assist with any questions or concerns regarding artworks, or the auction process. The artworks included in the online auctions are available to preview at our gallery, and we invite you to visit us to view the works in person (should you be in the Toronto area or find yourself here visiting during our previews).
Guido Molinari, Untitled (Vertical blanc)
Our live auction of Important Canadian Art, which takes
place in the spring and fall each calendar year, offers fresh insight into the
auction world. We invite clients and collectors to experience the excitement of
a live auction, as the event is open to the public and there is no obligation
to participate. We provide extended gallery preview times to view the artworks
included in these auctions to accommodate travel and scheduling realities,
while flexible bidding options are available (in-person, absentee and
telephone). The opportunity to view and engage with rare, museum-quality works
is a privilege we love to share with our clients.
Our boutique firm specializes in Canadian Fine Art and our
team of experienced and trained professionals is available to answer your
collecting queries. We emphasize transparency in our business and market
discussions with clients. We publish the price realized for all artworks sold
at auction, partnering with global art market indexes, and provide full
cataloguing information for all artworks we are entrusted with for sale. We
strive to provide clients and collectors with the highest level of service, and
we would be delighted to assist you in your collecting journey!
Auction features diverse range of artworks from Canadian artists including Wanda Koop, Hugh Scott Douglas, John Massey and Bruce LaBruce
As one of Canada’s premier auction houses that continues to develop its focus towards all periods, schools, movements and aspects of Canadian art, Consignor Canadian Fine Art is pleased to announce its first auction of Canadian contemporary art. Consignor partnered with renowned Toronto-based artist Jay Isaac to consult and advise on the overall mandate and vision of the sale, to further its commitment to creating a market for contemporary, living artists beyond the gallery realm and presiding institutions.
Consignor’s first-ever Contemporary Canadian Art Auction will be open for bidding from September 19 – 26, online at consignor.ca. Live previews take place beginning September 17 at the Consignor Canadian Fine Art gallery (326 Dundas Street West – across from the Art Gallery of Ontario).
Jay Isaac was pivotal in curating and securing works from private collections for the sale. As someone who has been active in the Canadian art community for over 20 years, his knowledge and involvement in many aspects of the contemporary Canadian art world has allowed him to bring together a concise and deliberate offering of works from some of Canada’s most important and widely collected artists.
“My interest in organizing and participating in alternative systems of dissemination for Canadian contemporary art is based on need,” said Isaac. “The need for the diverse and multi-faceted contemporary art of Canada to be engaged with critically, socially and commercially by wider audiences.”
“Consignor has enjoyed tremendous growth over the past five years with our auctions of Historical and Post-War Canadian Art that have garnered international attention and record-breaking sales,” says Rob Cowley, President of Consignor. “We are pleased to build upon the tradition and diversify our services to feature the important work of contemporary Canadian artists; furthering our desire, as well as the interests of our growing clientele, to provide a comprehensive representation of Canadian art at auction.”
Consignor is happy to debut an annual award as part of the Contemporary Auction schedule. The award recognizes the work of a contemporary Canadian artist whose artwork, career and efforts within the artistic community continue to be viewed as important and consistent by their peers. The award is also intended to acknowledge methods of working that may be outside of current trends but are viewed to be crucial to the development of ideas and potentially influential to other artists.
The award recipient was chosen by a jury of three artists whose work is included in the Contemporary Art Auction – Heather Goodchild, Morley Shayuk and Jennifer Murphy. The jury decided upon a pair of recipients to share the first annual award and we are delighted to congratulate Eli Langer and Lisa DiQuinzio as the co-recipients.
Consignor Canadian Fine Art would like to acknowledge the generous support of Superframe on this project and their contribution to donating framing for several of the works.
Since its inception in 2013, Consignor’s live and online auctions have included headline-grabbing works such as a rare 100-year-old Tom Thomson portrait (Daydreaming, sold for $172,500), an undiscovered William Kurelek (Ukrainian Proverb, sold for $41,400), and Jack Bush’s Summer Lake broke online auction records in May 2014 for the most expensive painting by a Canadian artist to be sold at an online auction ($310,500). Consignor’s inaugural live auction event in May 2016 set the record for the highest-selling Algomasketch by Lawren Harris, fetching $977,500, tripling the previous auction record; and most recently, its Spring 2018 live auction featured the sale of William Kurelek’s Hot Day in Kensington Market, the celebrated masterpiece more than doubling pre-sale expectation, fetching a near-record $472,000.
Un paysage magnifique d’Emily Carr, une sculpture en or de 22 carats par le célèbre artiste Haïda Bill Reid et une toile enchanteresse de Daphne Odjig, sont parmi les points saillants de la vente aux enchères de Consignor, laquelle aura lieu le 29 mai à Toronto.
Consignor Canadian Fine Art soulignera la diversité du Canada lors de la prochaine vente en salle semestrielle qui aura lieu le mardi 29 mai au musée Gardiner à Toronto. Le chef-d’œuvre de William Kurelek, Hot Day in Kensington Market (1972), figure parmi les œuvres exemplaires qui reflètent le multiculturalisme du Canada d’un océan à l’autre.
La scène animée de Kurelek au marché Kensington à Toronto durant les années 70 représente diverses nationalités parmi les commerces locaux, y compris une boulangerie hongroise, une boucherie juive et un marché aux poissons portugais. Le tableau, toujours dans son cadre original (conçu par l’artiste), était l’une des 21 œuvres de Kurelek qui faisaient partie d’une exposition acclamée, « Toronto », que l’artiste décrit comme « représentant l’âme de la ville ». Bien que de nombreux tableaux de la série aient étés présentés aux enchères au cours des années, ce sera la première fois que Hot Day in Kensington Market sera sur le marché d’enchères (estimation de 150 000 $ – 200 000 $).
« William Kurelek est l’un des artistes et conteurs les plus célèbres du Canada, bien-aimé pour ses thèmes fantaisistes et charmants, allant de ses souvenirs d’enfance dans une ferme au Manitoba à sa série bien connue de Toronto », dit Rob Cowley, président de Consignor. « Hot Day in Kensington Market est l’une des scènes représentant Toronto les plus populaires et les plus attrayantes, et il est considéré comme un travail important par les collectionneurs de Kurelek, célébrant l’identité canadienne, le multiculturalisme et la ville que l’artiste adorait, lors d’une chaude journée d’été ».
La vente aux enchères du printemps de Consignor présentera également deux œuvres exceptionnelles d’artistes de renommée internationale et avant-gardistes de l’art autochtone, Daphne Odjig et Bill Reid. Odjig était la force motrice du groupe « The Professional Native Indian Artists Association », familièrement connue à l’époque sous le nom de « The Indian Group of Seven », et a contribué à faire connaître l’art autochtone au premier plan. Family Ties d’Odjig, une acrylique sur toile de 36” X 34″ peinte en 1981, n’a jamais été offerte aux enchères, venant d’une collection d’entreprise canadienne (estimation de 30 000 $ – 40 000 $).
L’artiste Haïda Bill Reid était considéré comme le huitième membre non officiel du groupe d’artistes fondé par Odjig. Il a fait sa marque en tant que sculpteur, réputé pour ses œuvres monumentales représentant l’art et la vie Haïda. Reid est largement reconnu pour la revitalisation des arts autochtones de la côte du Nord-Ouest; il a créé des bijoux, de la sculpture de divers médiums, y compris du cèdre, du jade et de métaux précieux. Une sculpture rare en or de 22 carats, « Chief of the Undersea World » (valeur estimée de 125 000 $ à 175 000 $) a été sculptée pendant la période de production du monument de 18 pi en bronze à l’extérieur de l’aquarium de Vancouver. Ce sera la première édition en or de ses sculptures emblématiques d’orques à être offerte aux enchères.
D’autres points saillants de la vente en salle du printemps 2018 de Consignor:
• Emily Carr, Logged Land, 23” x 34.75” huile sur papier montée sur toile (estimation 275 000 $ – 325 000 $)
Les œuvres d’art sont présentement exposées à la galerie Consignor Canadian Fine Art, au 326, rue Dundas Ouest. Pour de plus amples renseignements sur l’exposition et la vente en salle, ainsi que pour accéder au catalogue en ligne, veuillez consulter le site internet consignor.ca. La vente se tiendra le mardi 29 mai, au musée Gardiner (111, Queen’s Park, Toronto).
Consignor’s Online Auction of Works on Paper, Prints & Books is a fantastic place to begin for someone new to the world of collecting art. The February sale offers a selection of prints, drawings, oil and watercolour paintings, photography and books to choose from in a broad range of prices, for both the emerging and seasoned collector. Purchasing a work on paper is often a more affordable opportunity to own an original work of art, or a print by a prominent artist whose original works are less accessible.
Presented below are some great examples of quality artworks offered in the February auction, all of which have estimates below $1000. Browse by your preferred subject matter, from calming landscapes, still lifes and street scenes to bold abstracts and expressive figural works. Keep in mind there is a total of 237 lots in the auction, so please visit our online catalogue for the entire selection.
LANDSCAPES
Lot #219: RFM McInnis
Farm in Sunshine
watercolour, 9 x 12 ins
Estimated: $150.00 – $200.00
